— In Paris on Sept. 4, 2025, President Emmanuel Macron convened more than 30 heads of state and government, joined virtually by President Volodymyr Zelensky, to present European plans and initial commitments intended to secure any future cease-fire or peace settlement with Russia and to signal a coordinated postwar security approach for Ukraine.
Key Takeaways
- More than 30 leaders met in Paris to review detailed options for protecting a potential postwar settlement in Ukraine.
- European militaries drafted plans for a “reassurance force” that would be stationed away from front lines as a second-stage deterrent.
- Europe aims to show it can provide concrete security capabilities while encouraging the United States to back a long-term guarantee.
- Major countries including Germany, Poland and Italy have ruled out sending ground combat troops; France, Britain and Estonia have publicly signaled limited deployments.
- Europe’s first-line defense remains a strengthened Ukrainian military—nearly a million personnel—with more long-range missiles and air defenses.
- U.S. participation so far is framed around intelligence, satellite and command-and-control support rather than boots on the ground.
Verified Facts
European leaders and military representatives conducted weeks of technical work before the Paris meeting to lay out operational options for guarding a cease-fire or peace deal. Officials said the aim was to present enough specific commitments to show a meaningful initial contribution from partner countries.
Plans discussed include a multinational reassurance force sized and positioned to deter renewed Russian aggression while avoiding the appearance of an offensive threat to Moscow. French officials described the concept as a second-stage deterrent located well away from active front or cease-fire lines; detailed proposals were presented to defense ministers on the day before the leaders’ meeting.
European governments have emphasized that the most important line of defense is a significantly reinforced Ukrainian military. Kyiv’s stated conditions for any cease-fire include accelerated deliveries of long-range strike systems and expanded air-defense capabilities for a force that European officials say is nearly one million strong.
Major Western capitals, including Germany, Poland and Italy, have publicly ruled out sending large numbers of ground combat troops into Ukraine. To date, only France, the United Kingdom and Estonia have openly indicated they could deploy forces to Ukrainian territory under a post-settlement arrangement.
Leaders signaled that U.S. involvement would be critical but limited in scope: Washington has, according to European officials, agreed in principle to provide intelligence, satellite coverage and airborne surveillance, and to support command-and-control for any multinational security arrangement, rather than commit American ground forces to Ukraine.
Context & Impact
The Paris initiative is driven both by security calculations and political signaling. European leaders want to show they have done the technical work to sustain a settlement and to persuade allies — notably the United States — to back guarantees that would make a cease-fire durable.
The diplomatic push follows a period of friction with Washington after President Vladimir Putin met President Donald Trump in Alaska. European governments are trying to bridge differences with the U.S. and to prevent any unilateral deal that would obligate Kyiv to cede territory without credible security guarantees.
If implemented, the plan would have layered elements: a strengthened Ukrainian armed force as the first line of defense; a multinational reassurance force as a visible deterrent in rear areas; and sustained American strategic support (intelligence, surveillance, and C2) to raise the cost of renewed aggression for Russia.
- Potential European contributions may include air policing over western Ukraine, training and logistics hubs in neighboring NATO countries, and ground contingents deployed well west of frontline areas.
- Germany is considering moving some trainer units to Poland, a step that would require NATO coordination and a new parliamentary mandate.
“Europe is stepping up with a seriousness and intensity to help secure Ukraine now and after any settlement,”
President Emmanuel Macron / Élysée Palace
Unconfirmed
- Whether the United States will expand its role beyond intelligence and command support remains unclear.
- It is not yet confirmed whether Russia would accept European or NATO-country troops on Ukrainian soil as part of any settlement.
- Specific troop numbers, deployment timelines and national contributions for a reassurance force have not been publicly finalized.
Bottom Line
Thursday’s Paris gathering was designed to convert technical planning into visible political commitments and to present a united European starting point for postwar security in Ukraine. The initiative aims to reduce the risk of a settlement collapsing by combining Ukrainian rearmament with a multinational deterrent and continued U.S. strategic support.
The plan’s effectiveness will depend on concrete pledges, allied unity, and whether Moscow accepts terms that allow international forces and oversight—factors that remain uncertain.